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2009.09.19

Comments

J2Kfm

very vivid descriptions, I can almost taste that bowl of 'yin yang' noodle soup with curry.

Andy

Hmm. Strange with the underlined text - have you tried viewing the html on the post?

As always very jealous of the amazing food - I'm in the middle of writing up about my visit to Penang and it's depressing to think it was over a month ago!

Andy - Please allow me to see when you are online.

Andy

Sorry, that was meant to be my weblink after my name! (Think I had something else copied into my clipboard)

Andy - http://onceuponathyme.wordpress.com

Marie

My stomach is growling as I wait for my husband to get out of the shower so we can go for breakfast. Not sure why I opened your blog in the hungry part of the day! It's sad about the markets when, here in New Zealand we seem to be having a resurgence in farmers markets. Both cultures seem to think they are the ones moving forward!

Victor

But the Campbell St wet market surely is under the Heritage zone and should now be protected. There is also the Chowrasta wet market which I heard will be restored to its former glory. That was the place for shopping for the Penangites, both for textiles and fresh produces.

I have more faith in Penang (maybe not in Georgetown CBD) wet market scenes and lifestyles - they will always be part of Penang life and culture; the like of Pulau Tikus near Georgetown and further afield like my mum's area in Taman Lip Sin and Balik Pulau.

That noodle dishes that you described are interesting. Strange as a Penang born and grew up there, I have never even try that before. Must do when I go home for a visit next month. Thanks.

550ml jar of faith @minchow

Your pics do more wonders for Penang than what the state govt has managed with the UNESCO World Heritage designation. I have the pleasure of being born and bred in Penang; I don't live there anymore but my one and only visit to Campbell St Market some years ago will always remain to me a distinct slice of the island's identity.

Account Deleted

Great post ! It is sad when our heritage has to make way for so-called progress. Sometimes tradition is more precious then the new new stuff. We just lost our beautifual old fish market in Kuching. A part of our history is gone forever !

Robyn

J2Kfm - spot-on there, yes it is a bit 'yin-yang'.

Hi Andy- I'm a bit afraid of HTML but I'll give it a try.

Marie-good point, about both thinking they're moving forward.

Hi Victor - the Heritage designation only protects structures, not 'living heritage'. So while the building itself is guaranteed to survive, the use of the building as a wet market is not. Fingers crossed.

Thanks 550ml -- appreciate the kind words.

cw foo&travel - oh, so sorry to hear that! I loved that market! Yikes, it's happening all over Asia...

Victor

Oh, no Robyn. I see what you mean now. I hope it will be preserved as a wet market and not turn into some modern accommodation or shopping arcade. Yuk!

Chai

Hi Robyn,
I have been following your blog for few years and always enjoyed immensely your writing and Dave's photos.
The photo of the bowl of noodle seems like prawn noodle soup( hokkien mee or hae mee). As far as I know, there's no coconut milk. The soup stock is made from pork bones, pork meat ( which is cut thinly and served with the noodle) and prawns ( shells included, before been de-shelled and served with the noodle too).
You make me miss my hometown:)

Rasa Malaysia

When I was little, my aunt would take me to this market. There used to be a hand-made popiah skin maker on the other side of the wet market. I loved watching him making sheets and sheets of fresh popiah skin, it was like watching magic with his dough! After the wet market, my aunt would then window shop at the many goldsmith shops. I have to agree, this market is just a sad shadow of its glorious past. Sad as it was one of the best wet markets back then. :(

Lady Macaron

That white heritage building is very beautiful! i must visit Penang one day, it's fascinating how asian countries once ruled by British colony still retains great charms mix with local attributes. Great noodle too I bet, yum just makes my tummy crumbles...
~emmelyn~

Robyn

Hi Chai - Thanks for your comment ... and for reading! The noodles may look like Penang Hokkien mee but they're not - no prawn heads in the stock, the stock is clear not red, plus the paste on top is more 'curry-ish' tasting than prawn mee paste. But thanks for reminding me that I haven't had a good bowl of prawn mee in too long. Luckily we still have a couple more days on Penang!

Hi Bee - yes the market is a shadow of its former self but it's still up and running, and drawing crowds everyday. I'm thankful for that, seeing as so many others have bit the dust. Let's hope it stays as it is.

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